Device for applying cleaning and treating materials



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United States Patent 3,270,366 DEVICE FOR APPLYING CLEANING AND TREATINGMATERIALS Karl Maichen, 34 Bahnhofstrasse, Lauterach, Austria Filed Oct.23, 1964', Ser. No. 405,920 Claims priority, application Austria, Oct.28, 1963, A 8,588; Apr. 9, 1964, A 3,092 Claims. (Cl. 15-559) Thisinvention relates to a device for applying cleaning and treatingmaterials, which device can be used for manifold purposes, for instanceas a hand brush for hand-washing.

It is an essential feature of the invention that the device comprises acontainer for holding the material to be applied, a roller rotatablymounted in said container and having a surface portion protruding fromsaid container, said roller being in contact with the material to beapplied and movable tangentially to the surface of the roller to roll onthe surface to be cleaned, said roller picking up particles of saidmaterial during such move- =ment and applying them to the surface to becleaned.

Another feature of the invention resides in that the container containsa spring which urges the material to be applied against the roller.

It is a further feature of the invention that the roller for applying.said material consists of a brush roller.

Finally it is a feature of the invention that ratchet teeth directedtoward the applicator are provide on two opposite side wall of thecontainer and a resilient bridge, which engages the material to beapplied, is gripped between these ratchet teeth and when subject topressure slides over the back of the respective tooth and snaps behindthe next adjacent pair of ratchet teeth.

An embodiment of the device according to the invention is shown by wayof example on the drawing. FIG. 1 is a side elevation showing the devicewith the cover removed. FIG 2 is a sectional view taken on line IIII ofFIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line III-III of FIG. 1 withthe cover applied.

The device consists of a containerlike housing 1 having a side wall andtwo opposed and end walls for holding a cake of soap 2, a cover 3 forclosing the housing, and a brush roller 4, which is r-otatably mountedin the housing. Ratchet teeth 5, which are disposed one over the otherand directed toward the brush roller 4, are provided on the two oppositenarrow sides of the housing 1. A bridge 6 bears on these ratchet teethand urges the soap against the brush roller 4. This bridge comprises twosubstantially spatulalike leaves 13, which have an enlarged portion 14,which snaps behind the ratchet teeth 5, whereas their narrowerextensions, or tongues, 15 are spaced apart in position for use. The twoleaves 13 consist suitably of a resilient, corrosion-resisting material,such as plastics, and are laterally connected to each other by resilientmembers 16. A web 9 prevents the soap from falling out of the housing 1when the cover is removed.

On its wide side, the housing is provided with longitudinal ribs 17 forguiding the soap. A support for the soap is provided by thin plates 8,which are spaced apart and mounted on the shaft 7 of the brush roller 4.As shown in the drawing the brush fibers extend radially slightly beyondthe plates 8.

To enable a convenient manipulation of the device, the housing 1 isprovided on the rear with a projection v10, against which the fingers ofthe hand of the user may be applied.

The device according to the invention is used as follows:

When the cover 3 has been removed, the housing 1 is taken by one handand is moved transversely to the axis Patented Sept. 6, 1966 of thebrush roller 4 across the wet other hand, so that the same is contactedby the brush roller, which may have been dippedinto water. During thisoperation, the brush rolls on the soap and applies the picked-upparticles to the hand. When sufiicient soap has been applied, the brushroller is moved across the hand in contact with it in the direction ofthe longitudinal axis of the roller. During this phase, the roller doesnot rotate and pick .up soap but can act like a normal hand brush.

When the soap has been consumed to such an extent that the extensions 15do no longer exert sufiicient spring force on the soap, a slightpressure is exerted on the leaves 13 to move the bridge 6 one tooth 5closer to the soap. During this adjustment, the resilient members 16 arelaterally deflected outwardly and the portions 14 slide 3 on the backsof the ratchet teeth to the next locking position.

After the device has been used, the cover 3 is applied to the housing 1,leaving free a gap 11, through which air can circulate for drying thebrush and the soap.

It is obvious that various changes in structure may be adopted withinthe scope of the invention. For instance, the thin plates 8 may bereplaced by ribs or webs extending from the housing wall. These ribs maybe narrow or may even have a sharp edge for supporting the soap becauseany impressions formed in the soap will be flattened and used up withoutdisturbing the automatic re-adjustment of the soap in view of the smallwidth of such impressions, the pressure of the spring 6 and the effectof moisture.

The thin plates 8 or the ribs or similar supporting elements may beeliminated if the bristles of the brush roller have an adequatestiffness.

The brush roller may have various cross-sectional shapes, e.g., theshape of a polygon. Alternatively, the brush roller may be replaced by adifferent applicator member, such as a roller of foamed rubber.

The device may also be used for the application of other materials, suchas wax or polishes. In this case, a stiff plate, a piston or the likemay be disposed between the spring and the material to be applied. Forthis use, the device may be mounted on a stick and be em ployed as afloor treating device.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for applying cleaning and treating materials, comprising acontainer for holding a bar of the cleaning and treating material to beapplied including a housing with an opening for the introduction of thebar of material to be applied, a cover for closing the housin-g when thedevice is out of use, said cover when applied leaving a vent opening inthe container, a brush roller rotatably mounted in said housing andhaving a surface portion protruding therefrom, said brush roller beingadapted to contact the bar of cleaning material to pick up particlestherefrom and being rollable on a surface to be cleaned to apply thecleaning particles, ratchet teeth provided on two opposite walls of thehousing and directed toward the roller, and a resilient bridgeengageable with said bar of cleaning material and gripped between theteeth on opposite walls, said bridge including two resilient leavessnapped in behind a pair of opposed ratchet teeth and being connected toeach other by at least one element formed of resilient material, thesaid leaves being further provided with resilient extensions projectingtoward thebrush for exerting a force on a bar of cleaning materialtoward said roller.

2. A device for applying a cleaning and treating material, comprising ahousing having a substantially vertical side wall and two opposed endwalls secured to the side wall but being open at least at the bottom andone other side, a roller j-our-nalled in said end walls and protrudingthrough the open bottom of the housing, downwardly directed ratchetteeth disposed in said housing on said end walls, a resilient bridgestraddling the space between said end walls and including two resilientleaves snapped under a pair of opposite ratchet teeth and connected byat least one resilient element, a pair of resilient tongues extendingdownwardly from said leaves for engagement with the upper surface of abar of cleaning material to be clamped between said tongues and saidroller, and a cover removably supported on the housing and closing saidopen side and, said open bottom of the housing and extending below saidroller to leave a vent space between the lower end of the housing sidewall and the cover.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein is additionally provided aflexible web whose ends are attached to to said side housing andextending across said open side for retaining a bar of cleaning materialagainst the side Wall when said cover is removed.

4. A device according to claim 2 wherein said side Wall is provided withan outwardly protruding rib for upper edge of the side wall in the palmof the hand of a user.

5. A device according to claim 2 wherein said roller comprises acylindrical brush mounted on a shaft, said shaft also mounting aplurality of rigid plates extending radially slightly less than thebrush fibers for engaging and supporting the bottom of a bar of cleaningmaterial.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,190,227 7/1916Fesle'r 15-184 2,222,909 11/1940 Cascio 15-559 X 2,705,811 4/1955 Moran15559 2,980,247 4/ 1961 Giantomasso.

FOREIGN PATENTS 184,829 8/ 1936 Switzerland. 184,830 9/ 193 6Switzerland.

finger engagement when the container is held with the 20 ROBERT MICHBLL,primmy

1. A DEVICE FOR APPLYING CLEANING AND TREATING MATERIALS, COMPRISING ACONTAINER FOR HOLDING A BAR OF THE CLEANING AND TREATING MATERIAL TO BEAPPLIED INCLUDING A HOUSING WITH AN OPENING FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF THEBAR OF MATERIAL TO BE APPLIED, A COVERR FOR CLOSING THE HOUSING WHEN THEDEVICE IS OUT OF USE, SAID COVER WHEN APPLIED LEAVING A VENT OPENING INTHE CONTAINER, A BRUSH SAID COMPONENTS (A) AND (B) BEING A COMPONENTHAVING A CHASSIS WHICH SERVES AS A "GROUND" TO WHICH ONE TERMINAL OF APOWER SUPPLY IS CONNECTED; PICK UP PARTICLES THEREFROM AND BEINGROLLABLE ON A SURFACE TO BE CLEANED TO APPLY THE CLEANING PARTICLES,RATCHET TEETH PROVIDED ON TWO OPPOSITE WALLS OF THE HOUSING AND DIRECTEDTOWARD THE ROLLER, AND A RESILIENT BRIDGE ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID BAR OFCLEANING MATERIAL AND GRIPPED BETWEEN THE TEETH ON OPPOSITE WALLS, SAIDBRIDGE INCLUDING TWO RESILIENT LEAVES SNAPPED IN BEHIND A PAIR OFOPPOSED RATCHET TEETH AND BEING CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER BY AT LEAST ONEELEMENT FORMED TO RESILIENT MATERIAL, THE SAID LEAVES BEING FURTHERPROVIDED WITH RESILIENT EXTENSIONS PROJECTING TOWARD THE BRUSH FOREXERTING A FORCE ON A BAR OF CLEANING MATERIAL TOWARD SAID ROLLER.